The Bird Maiden
by Rosie Wildwood
Summary: Life is difficult for Evangeline, an elven gypsy girl who has fallen in love with the Goblin King. But perhaps her magical gift, the ability to take the form of a falcon, will help her get closer to him...
1. Chapter 1

The Bird Maiden

Chapter 1

"_By the wind moonlight,_

_And looming Goblin fate,_

_Send me to his Majesty,_

_A falcon on his gate."_

These are the words I chanted each morning. They are not just words, you know. They are a spell, a spell that only I can use. My name is Evangeline, and I am an elf.

I am also a gypsy. Our caravan has traveled all over the Underground world, but now we dwell mainly in the vast, enchanted woods near the Goblin City. As in the Aboveground world, gypsies are not always welcome guests to a town. The goblins of the City don't care who we are, so long as we can sell them jewels and weapons. However, those of higher status do mind. The goblins that run the Armory can't stand having us as competition. The jewelers and tailors hate us, because many goblins would much rather have the exotic jewels and clothes that we sell, than the everyday trinkets sold in the city's shops. The Goblin King had never reacted much to our presence, but he is royalty. What's to say he wouldn't scorn us as well?

That is why I used the spell. Every elf in our band is given a certain power on his or her thirteenth birthday, in the form of a spell. Anastasia, one of the old storytellers and a good friend of mine, was given the power to age only when she chose to, for she was a very beautiful and agile dancer in her youth. My power was the ability to transform into a falcon, for my vision was sharp, and I had yearned for the skies ever since I was a child. My spell was formed of the wind and moonlight, and those were its most powerful words. The rest was up to me, and only I knew the spell's exact incantation.

On the morn of the 12th, I rose early, as always. While the other Dark Elves were asleep, I ran silently through the woods to the Goblin City's high walls. I had to make the journey through the woods on foot, so that nobody could see me transform or hear the spell. Once I reached the wall, I whispered my sacred incantation;

"By the wind and moonlight, and looming Goblin fate, send me to his Majesty, a falcon on his gate."

Although I did this every day, the transformation still thrilled me. I watched the world swell around me as I took the falcon's form, then shrink again as I soared through the skies. I flew over the wall, beyond the Goblin City, dodged past the castle's majestic spires and towers, and finally alighted upon the royal garden gate, waiting.

I didn't have to wait long, for soon after I landed, I saw the Goblin King, Jareth, strolling through the gardens. He was dressed in a loose, black satin shirt, open slightly in the front, revealing a silver, fishtail-shaped pendant with a gold infinity in the middle. He wore his usual dove-gray tights and tall boots. He smiled when he saw me (in falcon form, of course!), and let me step onto his wrist, greeting me warmly, saying,

"Hello, my friend. Time for our morning hunt, isn't it?"

I noticed, for the thousandth time since I had learned my spell, how handsome he was. If only I were a princess from another kingdom, sent to seek his hand…but no. I was but a gypsy, sure to be banished if his Majesty knew who I really was. To him I would have to be a hunting falcon, nothing more.

It felt good to be flying again, swooping and circling above the woods, with the wind in my face and the world to myself. I had flown just yesterday morning, but for the sheer joy of flying, a day on the ground felt like a year. I was enjoying my winged freedom, when suddenly I spotted a movement in the forest below. It was a rabbit, and a fat one at that. I circled again then dove, rising back up with my catch in my talons. With one last triumphant swoop, I dropped the rabbit into Jareth's hunting sack, and then landed expertly on his wrist again.

We returned to the royal gardens, where I washed my feet in the fountain, as I always did after a hunt. He sat on a fancily carved stone bench, and I sat on his wrist.

"You're a fine hunter, aren't you?"

He said, stroking my feathers affectionately. I was tempted to transform back into a maiden and reveal myself then and there, but the fear of banishment stopped me. Finally, Jareth pulled a small scroll from some unseen pocket and fastened it to the silver ring around my leg. "Would you mind delivering this letter? Give it to Sarah." He reached again into the unseen pocket, producing this time a small strip of roasted meat, probably spared from a royal dinner.

"Thank you, you are a noble bird!"

He said, giving me the meat. Knowing that the rest of the band would be rising soon, I flew off, with the letter on my ankle.

I quickly found Sarah, sitting alone on a fallen tree trunk. I transformed several meters away, and then entered the clearing. Sarah Williams was my best friend, and a mortal. Usually mortals were forbidden in the caravans, but Sarah was a determined girl, and she managed to get along without our Dark Elfin magic. A few years ago she had defeated the immense Labyrinth that surrounded the Goblin City, and ever since, Jareth had been trying to win her affection. However, with each attempt, Sarah turned him down. As she read Jareth's letter, she looked deeply disgusted. She folded the letter and gave it to me.

"Return his letter, and tell him I cannot love him. Oh, why can't he leave me alone?" She moaned.

"All right, if you say so." I said, adding playfully, "Farewell, cruel Sarah!"

Sarah answered this with a handful of moss, neatly aimed at the back of my head. Laughing, I threw it back at her. Finally we both collapsed in a fit of giggles, until I told her I had to find the rest of the caravan.

That afternoon, after I had finished my chores, Anastasia and I were out collecting medicine herbs, a subject that she had taught me much about. While we collected we chatted idly.

"Maria's expecting, you know."

She said, picking a handful of tiny wildflowers. I laughed,

"Again?"

Maria already had four children, two of which were twins.

"That silly girl is like a cat. She should finish raising one litter before starting on another,"

Hmphed Anastasia disapprovingly. The look on her face made me fall into a patch of huge dandelions, trying not to laugh, but being unable to stop myself when my fall raised a cloud of giant-dandelion fluff. Anastasia could be silly herself, but she acted like everybody else's mother when they did something foolish!

When we finally emerged from the dense forest, we were in some sort of huge meadow. Anastasia pointed to something in the sky.

"Look over there, Eva. Do you see that?"

I followed her gaze to a strange, shimmering, iridescent shape, far off in the distance.

"Would you believe," she said, "That that bubble is actually part of the castle?"

"Really?" I asked, anticipating the fantastic tale that Anastasia would surely tell.

"Oh, yes. It's the ballroom. I've only been inside once. It was a few years ago, back when I was young and beautiful…"

Anastasia had chosen to let her age catch up to her quite recently, so she was 'young and beautiful' about a year ago.

" It's empty now, but every 13 full moons, there is a grand ball, a masquerade. I haven't been to the most recent ones, but I can remember the one that I attended, in my youth. I wore my finest dancing gown and mask. The music, the food, the dancing…I can still feel the festive atmosphere."

"Was Jareth there?" I hardly dared to ask.

"Oh, he was indeed. I was one of the many girls he danced with."

"What was it like, dancing with him…?" I knew this was really over the top.

"Oh, he was a good dancer. And he looked so handsome and princely. He danced wonderfully with me, but…nothing compared to the way he danced with that one girl…"

"What girl?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

"Oh, nobody knew her name. I remember her being very pretty though. She had on a lovely white dress with an enormous skirt and sleeve puffs. Strange though, she was the only girl there without a mask."

"Yes, but what did she look like?" I didn't mean to be so rude.

"Well, she had long hair…black hair, I think, with lots of pearls woven through it. And, pale skin. I think her eyes were dark, but I didn't see her close enough to tell for sure. The way he danced with her…it seemed to put all us other ladies to shame."

"Do you know what happened to her?"

"I'm afraid not. Nobody does, really. She disappeared so suddenly, before the ball was over. Poor Jareth wouldn't dance with anyone else after. Told us all to go home, sorry for the inconvenience and all that. Nobody ever saw her again, and Jareth knew who she was but wouldn't tell anybody…"

Poor old Anastasia never got to finish her story. The impulsive girl I was, I was already running toward the bubble, panting my spell, transforming before Anastasia's very eyes. I wanted to know who the girl was, how to get into the bubble, when the next ball was. I flew toward the glinting shape with all my might, but whenever I got any closer, the bubble got farther away. Finally I spiraled to the ground and chanted my reverse-spell, trying not to add unnecessary curses in frustration. I walked wearily back to where Anastasia was standing, and we both walked home, too exhausted (Anastasia from working and I from flying) to talk much.

That evening, it was my brother Cyprian's turn to entertain our band. He was going to tame a wild bear, but after Anastasia's sharp warnings against it, he finally decided to tell a story. It was about a brave young man who had tamed a wild bear, which we all found very amusing. Then came the dancing. Maria's sister Bella performed a flamenco that kept its audience so captivated, that nobody noticed me slip out of the crowd, and neatly into Anastasia's covered wagon. I could see my prize; a mahogany chest, not large, but fancy enough to carry something precious. I lifted the lid, and gasped in amazement. It was a folded piece of burgundy satin. As I lifted it from the chest it unfolded, revealing itself as a beautiful gown. It was all deep red, with a bell-shaped skirt and long sleeves, gathered at the cuffs. It was a bit old-fashioned, but strangely beautiful. Folded in the dress was a mask.

It was the strangest mask I had ever seen. It was black and snub-faced, with small ram's horns protruding on either side, making it look for all the world like a snarling goblin. Tiny red jewels were set into the mask's edge, giving it an odd sort of glow. This couldn't have been any other than the gown and masque Anastasia wore to the masquerade. I stepped up to Anastasia's old mirror to try the dress on, when a sharp cry was heard from the crowd; "FIRE!"

The cry alarmed me. I transformed faster than ever before, and crabbed the dress and masque in my talons as I took flight. Looking down, I could see that almost a third of the caravan was ablaze. I flew even faster, trying to escape the burning caravan's panic.

Soon I was far away from the caravan, and I felt strangely calm. The night was mine. I had the dress; nobody at the ball would know I was just a gypsy. I didn't even bother to think about how I would get into a royal event, or if there even was one this year. As I swerved gracefully around the castle's tall spires, all I noticed was the cool night air ruffling through my feathers, caressing me. I could almost hear it whispering, 'you're a fine hunter, Evangeline…A fine hunter. And you are beautiful, my Evangeline…'

I was jerked unpleasantly out of my fantasy when I almost collided with some airborne object. From what I saw of it, zooming past me, it appeared to be another bird.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was another bird. The moonlight glinted on its feathers, making it look pale. My falcon heart skipped a beat; I had heard stories of the goblin king transforming into a white owl to watch over his kingdom. On closer inspection, however, it turned out to be not a handsome white owl, but a rather lopsided magpie. It was flying dizzily around in circles, as if one wing had no idea what the other was doing. It dipped and zigzagged around, finally colliding with a castle wall. I zoomed down after it, but not fast enough to catch it. To my surprise, the moment it touched the ground it touched the ground, it transformed into what appeared to be an old woman.

"Why don't you look where you're going?" scolded the old woman. She was short and stocky, with a wrinkled face and wild, frizzy hair. Her dress and shawl looked like she had never washed them. I quickly transformed. The old woman dusted herself off (to no avail, of course), and gave me a very serious look. "A word of advice to you, young woman. Never play around with dark magic, or you might end up as a magpie!" she said.

I just stared at her, wondering if the fall had been harder than I thought. I didn't know where I had landed, or how far I was from the castle. We appeared to be in the forest, complete with glistening moss and grotesquely-shaped trees. The old woman suddenly jumped in surprise, as though she had only just noticed me. She narrowed her eyes skeptically, saying, "Who are you, hmmmmmm?" I told her my name. "And, what are you doing here, hmmmmmm?" She demanded. "I…..I'm lost…." I lied, not about to tell her my plans to sneak into a royal ball. The old woman's tone softened a little. "Well, you're not gonna get very far in the dark. Com on, let's find a place to camp out," she said, starting through the trees.

The night that had seemed so silent while I was flying, was loud and eerie while I tried to sleep. I awoke many times to strange sounds and once to the smell of smoke, but in the darkness I saw nothing.

When I awoke the next morning, the old woman seemed excited about…something. She seemed very impatient for me to get up, saying,

"No time to sleep in, dear, ooooooh no. Got to get started before dawn, we do!" The sun hadn't even begun to rise yet.

Leaving before dawn didn't appeal to me. After a long flight followed by a fitful night's sleep, I was exhausted, and after the drama of the fire I wanted desperately to do something familiar, like hunting by Jareth's side. "I must leave, my mother's waiting!" I said. I didn't like lying, but I needed an excuse to leave. "That's right, dearie, run along and play, yes yes yes,". The old woman seemed very distracted, so I took the opportunity to transform. Soaring above the forest, I could see the old woman wandering around below me, quite possibly lost. The sun was rising now, and I could see the castle silhouetted against the golden sky. Any moment now his Majesty would be waking up. The castle was still very far away, so I grasped the gown I was carrying and took flight.

The goblin city was abuzz with excitement. Through every window I could see a goblin frantically preparing something. Goblins were running about I the streets carrying scrolls and baskets, occasionally barreling into each other. Once I had to swerve sharply to avoid getting caught in a goblin collision and dropped the dress. I had to swoop down to catch it before another goblin mistook it for her own.

Finally I carefully his my parcel on a tree branch, and fluttered down to the royal garden gate. I was late; Jareth was already there, looking slightly impatient. Apparently he too was affected by the excitement in the city; he was frustratedly squinting at an extremely messily-written scroll. His expression brightened when he saw me, grateful for any distraction from the scroll. I considered finding out what was written on the scroll, but Jareth seemed impatient for the hunt.

The woods were silent as usual, with a few birds and animals rustling about as an exception. These weren't the wild, dangerous woods that were home to the caravans, where wolves lurked at night, and thorns and brambles tore at the skirts of wandering gypsy women. The royal woods were quiet and serene, with tall, straight trees filtering dappled sunlight onto the leafy forest floor. The hunting was surprisingly easy, and soon we were strolling through the woods with a full hunting sack.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by a loud shuffling, as a short goblin with a long nose tore out of the woods as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. Jareth was ready to dismiss the goblin, but decided to let him stay, as he wasn't carrying any scrolls.

"Your Majesty!" The goblin bowed so low that his nose brushed the leafy ground. "Your majesty!" he repeated, "I delivered twelve invitations!" Jareth motioned for me to go hunt, but I hid in a nearby tree. Jareth was looking down at the goblin with a puzzled expression. "Twelve?" I heard him say, his tone confused but with a warning edge. "Grizak, how can it be that you delivered twelve invitations, when I specifically asked you to deliver thirteen?" He knelt to Grizak's level, a menacing glint in his mismatched eyes, and said quietly, "what happened?"

Grizak, frightened by Jareth's soft but dangerous tone, began to babble, "well, your Majesty, I got all twelve done, I did, then all I had left was the other one so I went into the woods but the girl, the mortal girl from aboveground, I couldn't find her so I sat down and waited and I started picking mushrooms, a nice bouquet of mushrooms to convince her, an' I guess it took awhile 'cos it got dark and somethin' chased me out an' I still got one left!" The stammering goblin reached into a leather sack tied to his belt and produced a small white envelope which Jareth took. Jareth's voice was still soft, but his eyes were furious. "Grizak, you had two weeks to deliver thirteen invitations, and when you could have been finishing the job you were picking mushrooms? You've wasted too much time. The ball is tonight, and you have failed to deliver my most important invitation." He stood up, towering once again over a terrified Grizak. "Luckily for you, I have someone else who can deliver the invitation. I'm going to give you another chance. Give this list to my accountant before the ball, and this time, try not to get distracted!"

With that he gave Grizak the scroll he had been studying and sent him away, satisfied with having gotten rid of the scroll and Grizak at the same time. He called me back to him. "I'd like you to give another letter to Sarah, my friend. Make sure she reads it; I think she'll find it…very interesting. But hurry, the masquerade is tonight!"

"Never again." Sarah's eyes flashed as she said this. I pleaded once again with her, but she insisted. "last time I attended one of those, I almost forgot who I was…I can't" As much as it tortured me to do this, letting Jareth down would be twice as painful. "Last time he was trying to distract you, but what is there to distract you from this time? He's changed, Sarah. At least give him another chance…" "No." Sarah wouldn't give in. "I don't trust him, and I hardly trust myself."

She handed the invitation back to me. "Here. You can go in my place, Evangeline. Maybe he'll give up when I don't show." I tried to sound sad as I bid her farewell, but my heart was soaring. I didn't have to worry about how to get into the masquerade. I had an invitation from his Majesty himself, and all I had to do was get ready. I transformed by the castle gates and quickly retrieved my gown, finally landing beside a woodland pond glistening in the sunlight. I whispered my reverse-spell and looked at my reflection in the glittering pool. I had some work to do; my dress was torn and dusty, my hair was tangled with leaves and thorns, and my bare feet were scratched from my adventures in the woods. I decided to start by bathing; I was much too filthy to attend a royal ball.

The water was freezing. The bath took much longer than I had planned, for the rocks were slippery, and each time I tried to climb out I would slide back into the water. Finally I reached out to grab the leaved of a nearby willow tree. I began to haul myself out, when suddenly something walked right into the clearing, startling me. I let go of the branch and half fell, half dived back into the water.

"Yes, yes, I though I'd be seein' you again!" As I brushed my dripping hair out of my face, I saw the old woman examining Anastasia's down. "Well look at this! A ballroom gown! Ooooohhh, and a letter too!" she turned to me. "What does it say?" "It's….an invitation. To the ball. Tonight." I said quietly. "hmmmmmmm," she said. "And I suppose you're getting ready now?" "Yes…." I said. She eyed me suspiciously, as she had a habit of doing. "You're a lucky one, yes yes yes!" she said. "This is no ordinary party. Do you know what this is?" she asked, brandishing the envelope. "Uh, an invitation to a masquerade, " I said, not knowing what else it could possibly be. "NO ordinary masquerade!" she said explosively. Then she narrowed her eyes and looked left and right, as if she was telling a deep, dark secret. "This isn't just ANY ball," she said, "this is THE ball, when for one evening, every goblin in all of the goblin city can take human form! But they must wear masks! If any man or woman should take off their mask…" she paused dramatically, then exploded again, "POOF! They're a miserable little goblin again! But I can see _you're_ not a goblin…" she squinted at me. "Well, what are ya? Elf? Human?"

"Elf."

She took a good long look at me, then shrugged and went back to examining Anastasia's dress. She looked at me sharply and said,

"The ball's tonight, you know! Yes! You'd better hurry up and get ready, you had! No time to take a swim now, dearie, oh no! You just wait here…put the dress on while you're waiting…" she charged off into the bushes, shouting back to me, "Now don't you go anywhere, I'll be back before you know it!"

As the sounds of her crashing through the underbrush grew fainter and the woods became eerily silent once again, I grabbed the willow branch and clambered out of the pool. I picked up the down. The satin and lace were slightly faded with age, but its burgundy folds slid gracefully over my fingers. I held it at arm's length, then loosened the ties in the back and stepped into it. It was as if it had been made for me; even the stiff bodice fit perfectly. I tied it in the back, then stood to admire my reflection. For once I didn't look like a poor, wandering gypsy; I looked like a rich and stately lady of some royal court, attending a ball with the kingdom's finest lords and ladies. I could picture myself dancing in Jareth's arms, my hair woven with silver and pearls.

"Well, don't you look lovely, yes yes yes. Now all we need to do is your hair…"

The old woman dropped an armful of twigs, vines and flowers. "Now you sit down and let me take care of this," she said. I sat obediently and tried to keep still as she tugged my hair this way and that, muttering to herself all the while. Finally she stopped and stood back to admire her work. "Not bad…..not bad at all….." she said.

I stood and returned to the pond to see what she had done. My long hair was piled on top of my head, held gracefully in place with willow branches and delicate, deep-red wild briar roses. "Put this on!" she said, rummaging in the pile of junk on her back and producing a delicate silver necklace with tiny ruby flowers and silver leaves. When I put it on, I hardly recognized myself. Gone was the young, nervous Evangeline, and in her place was the mysterious princess from a foreign land, beautiful and richly dressed. I daintily picked up the mask and raised it to my face, tying its red ribbons beneath the tiny curls falling about my neck. Nobody would ever have guessed that I was but a disreputable gypsy. Tonight I was a princess.

The sun was beginning to set in the western sky, bathing the forest in molten gold. As the light of sunset touched my invitation, it burst into flame. I watched in wonder as the flames vanished with the envelope, leaving behind one perfect peach. A royal invitation. Hesitantly I picked it up. It was perfectly round and ripe, its yellow skin blushing a deep red. I raised it to my lips and bit into it, feeling an excited tingle in the pit of my stomach.

It tasted sweet and perfumey. The sunset, the trees, the wild luster of the pond were swirling before me. Small round shapes were dancing all around. One came closer and closer to me, until I was sitting inside it. It carried me over the forest, past the castle, over the field where I had been gathering herbs just the day before, and towards the huge, iridescent sphere. I got closer and closer, until I could see shapes moving behind its pearly surface.

Suddenly I was in a lavishly decorated, circular ballroom. Richly-dressed, masked dancers whirled around me. Golden chandeliers dripping wax stalactites hung low from the enormous domed ceiling. Throughout the room, a haunting melody echoed, played by an unseen orchestra, and mingled with the sounds of laughter. There were glass tables piled high with food, which the guests were enjoying indulgently. Suddenly I felt out-of-place among the wild, decadent crown, in my dress and mask that seemed to be dwarfed by those of the richer ladies.

As I tried to make my way through the crowd, I was pulled into a shallow, cushion-lined pit by a young woman with auburn hair and a thin black mask. "who are you?" she asked, friendly but perhaps slightly drunk. A young man with curly black hair sat down on the other side of me and said, "I know who she is. Don't you recognize me, Annabel?"

Not bothering to ask who Annabel was, I pulled myself away from the pit just as the young man went to put his arm around me. Looking over my shoulder I saw him get up to follow me, sway unsteadily and fall backwards into the pit, bringing forth a wave of laughter from his companions.

Slightly shaken by this creepy encounter, I began pushing aimlessly through the crowd in search of an empty space among the dancers. Feeling more out-of-place than ever, I was thinking of leaving, when a familiar face caught my attention.

He stood alone, away from the crowd, looking for all the world like he was trying to make himself scarce. He was finely-dressed in a deep blue velvet tailcoat. He looked so handsome, but something wasn't right. The look on his face was one of sadness and disappointment. I felt a pang of guilt for being here instead of Sarah, who he had surely hoped to see.

Gathering my courage, I wove through the crowd in his direction. Sfter all, this was what I had come for in the first place.

"Jareth?" I said. He looked up at the sound of his name, and only then did I realize that he wasn't used to his subjects using it. "Your Majesty," I said, curtsying respectfully. "What is it?" he replied quietly.

"Is something the matter, your Majesty?" I asked, as gently as I could. He looked at me again, and a strange, searching expression crossed his face, as if he expected something extraordinary to happen, but when nothing did he sighed and closed his eyes. "Nothing….this masquerade isn't going quite as I hoped, that's all."

"Is it Sarah?" me and my big mouth. Why couldn't it keep shut? The searching expression returned to his eyes; he seemed to be looking for any clue to who I might be. Suddenly I was thankful for my mask.

"How do you know Sarah?" he asked cautiously.

"Word gets around," I said, not sounding very convincing.

"You're not a goblin, are you?" he asked. I couldn't lie to him.

"No…..I'm not," I said meekly, hoping he wouldn't ask me more. To my great relief, he didn't. Instead, a heart-stopping smile spread across his face.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked suavely. I curtsied and took his hand, trying not to blush.

From the moment we began to dance, all was strange and magical. The music changed as he took me into his arms and we swirled across the ballroom. I felt weightless, like I was dancing on air, and the entire ballroom was a blur. He led the waltz gently, and I remembered vaguely what Anastasia had said about his dancing. This, I thought, must have been how the girl in the white dress felt.

The dance lasted for all of two songs, but still I felt it ended too soon. Before he disappeared among the crowd, he took my hand and pressed it to his lips. I fought the urge to swoon.

The summer night was peaceful and warm as I swooped this way and that, spiraling around the castle's towers, happy to be alive. The music was still echoing in my head, and my heart flew as if it too had wings. The world was my home, and even the labyrinth looked friendly. Giddy from the evening's excitement, I landed on a stone windowsill, just big enough for me to sit on when I transformed. It looked in on a majestic hallway, with a line of torches casting eerie shadows on the floor. The hall was deserted except for two figures, faintly silhouetted in the shadowy hall. One was a short, stubby goblin who I recognized to be Grizak. The other towered over Grizak, but by its thuggish posture I knew it wasn't Jareth. The shadowy hulk turned to lumber back down the hallway, but then it stopped and looked right at me. Its red eyes glowed like dull embers.

I left the windowsill with haste, transforming in mid-air and soaring though the reddening sky. Far below me, I could see a gypsy caravan cutting a path through the dense forest, and wondered how I would explain my absence when I returned…if I returned.

It was a long and relentless flight as I aimlessly circled the forest, looking for a place to spend the night. The flying thrill brought on by the peach and the dancing had faded into exhaustion. Finally I could fly no longer. I dove into a clearing and slept the moment my talons touched the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

A distant shout awoke me from what would have been a very pleasant dream. Early-morning sunlight glittered on the dew-drenched grass. Just beyond a nearby clump of trees, somebody was coming. I panicked and leapt to my feet, and the moment I did, a white-hot pain shot through my arm. An arrow protruded from a tree, and a trickle of blood fell from where it had grazed my arm. The voices drew nearer;

"Cyprian! You hunt like a goblin! Can't you see that your arrow has hit a maiden!"

Two young men emerged from the woods. One of them was a young, bearded elf with corn-coloured hair. His companion was my brother, Cyprian. The blonde bearded elf burst into the clearing and cheerfully exclaimed,

"Hey there! Oh….how rude of me not to introduce myself…ahem….I am Claudius, the intrepid," with a proud flick of his head, he continued; "Allow me to apologize for my friend's clumsiness. The poor fool must have mistaken you for a deer! Are you hurt?" He examined my wounded arm, but I pulled away.

Cyprian strutted into the clearing, saying, "My dear Claudius, you have frightened the poor thing!" He turned to me, but his smile faded when he saw my face. "Eva….?" He said, hardly daring to believe his eyes. I nodded. "Claudius, you owl pellet, that's my sister!" he shouted. Claudius raised his hands above his head and backed away.

It was noon by the time we reached the caravan, and by then Cyprian and Claudius had heard my entire story. I had made them promise not to tell anybody, so Claudius told everyone that a bear had chased me all the way to the river and I had lost my way home.

Maria had told me that Anastasia had been unwell; while I was gone she had hardly eaten, and at night she was troubled by strange dreams which she refused to describe. I immediately went to find her.

She sat in her covered wagon, which thankfully had not been damaged by the fire. The air was thick with incense. "Welcome back, Evangeline," was all that she said to me, "You had us worried." When I asked about her health, she said that she was fine, although she was sure she hadn't seen the last of the dreams. As I turned to leave, she said, "Evangeline….just as I thought. The dress suits you nicely." We spoke no more of that afterwards.

The sewing needle flashed in the bright summer sun, as I stitched together the carefully-cut pieces of lavender satin and silk. The gown was of my own design, similar to Anastasia's, but even more delicate and graceful. My thoughts raced excitedly; it would be finished just in time for the ball. A year had passed since my first masquerade, and the 13th full moon was fast approaching. Sarah sat beside me, gazing off into space. Recently she seemed deep in thought. She was unusually quiet, and had a habit of wandering off on her own. Worried, I had asked her if she was feeling all right, but she simply replied that she had a lot to think about. Despite this, she didn't seem at all herself.

The last stitch of the gown was made, just as the sun set and Grizak ran up to where I sat. He took one of his ground-sweeping bows and said, "Letter for miss Evangeline from his Highness the kind, requesting her attendance at….at…." he took a deep breath and squinted at the small white envelope in his hand, but he didn't need to finish his sentence; I knew what was in the envelope. "Thank you Grizak," I said, and with that he charged back into the bushes.

Within moments, Maria's curly, ginger-haired head was peeking from her wagon. She skipped daintily across the clearing and sat down beside me. "My my, Evangeline," she said, fluttering her long eyelashes, "A letter from Jareth? Oh, what does it say?" "I-I don't know," I stammered; Maria's tone was making me uncomfortable. A few of Maria's friends had gathered around. One of them, a tall, dark-haired beauty, turned to maria and said, "perhaps he sees something in HER that he doesn't see in the rest of us? Could it be her hair?" she touched my hair, and I knew that she was mocking me. "Maybe it's her smooth skin?" said another, running her finger down my cheek and making me shudder. "Why don't you open it? There's nothing he would tell you that you can't read to us!" said Maria.

"No," I said quietly. "Don't be silly, Evangeline! Show us the letter!" snarled the dark-haired girl, snatching the envelope from my hands and clawing at it, trying to get it open.

Suddenly, she shrieked as the patch of ground where she was standing vanished from beneath her feet, revealing a stone tunnel. She dropped the envelope on the ground and desperately grasped at the edge of the tunnel. It was clear why; a horrible smell was seeping out from the depths of the tunnel. At its end was the notorious Bog of Eternal Stench. The dark-haired girl screamed again for her friends to help her, but they too were afraid of falling into the bog, so they made no move to help her.

Pocketing the invitation, I slowly walked up to the tunnel and offered the girl my hand. Her eyes were wild with fear and watery from the stench. Trembling, she let go of the side with one hand and reached for mine, then clambered with some difficulty out of the hole. It vanished as if it had never been there.

The dark-haired girl stared at me in disbelief, then gave an appreciative nod and stumbled back to her friends, who backed away, then ran for the caravan as fast as their feet would carry them. I held up my finished gown to admire it in the evening light, then slowly made my way towards my wagon.

The sun rose, bright and clear on the morning of the 13th. Today was my day; not only had I sneaked off to a masquerade once before, but I was going back. I ran to show Sarah my gown, but she wasn't in her wagon. I asked the rest of the caravan, but nobody had seen her. Assuming she had gone out for an early-morning hike, as she had developed a habit of doing, I went about washing myself, brushing my hair and adjusting my mask. I noticed that Maria and her friends leapt out of the way when I passed.

In the late afternoon, I told Anastasia that I was going out hunting with Cyprian and Claudius. "Indeed," she said quietly, looking knowingly at the lavender gown folded under my arm, which I had tried unsuccessfully to hide. Sarah was still nowhere to be seen. When we were out of sight of the caravan, I left Cyprian and Claudius (who had tried to convince me to hunt with him) and changed unto my gown. I put on my mask, and placed my invitation in the light of the setting sun. It burst into flame, leaving a delicious-looking peach which I eagerly bit into. Soon everything started slipping in and out of focus, and the forest and sunset melted into dizzying swirls of colour. Then, as before, the crystal bubble appeared, carrying me to the masquerade.

Once again the ball was lavishly decorated, this time themed to resemble a forest. The columns were glistening trees whose sparkling emerald leaves formed the ceiling, and the floor was of such realistic moss that even the feet of a gypsy could scarcely tell the difference. Dancers, dressed even more flamboyantly than before, swirled around each other to a haunting melody. There, standing in the middle of the ballroom and dressed in deep emerald green, was Jareth. He seemed much happier and more himself than he had been at the last masquerade. He smiled when he saw me, a slow, beautiful smile that made my heart skip a beat. He took my hand and we began to dance.

As we waltzed, Jareth began to sing softly to the music. We whirled around the room, lost in our own world. I could feel his breath on my cheek. I felt like the finest lady at the ball, dancing with Jareth for the second time. When the song ended, a black-haired man in a long-nosed mask came and hurriedly muttered something to Jareth. He bent and kissed my hand, saying, "I hope I may dance with you again, Evangeline."

My heart was lighter than air as I wandered aimlessly through the crowd. Every day, as I hunted as his falcon for the past year, I had anticipated the day when I could dance with him again, and now, although how was beyond me, he knew my name. I loved the way he said it.

I flopped happily down against a column, and as I enjoyed my mirth, I heard Sarah's name mentioned in a conversation between two masked ladies. One was large, wearing a mint-green gown and a skeletal-looking mask. The other was the drunken auburn-haired girl.

"So she finally decided to come?" asked the auburn-haired woman. "That's only half of it," snorted the plump woman, "apparently he asked her to marry him!" "And she said yes?" asked the auburn-haired woman, looking more than slightly disappointed. The plump woman nodded.

Suddenly I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I couldn't believe my ears. I couldn't believe Sarah, who had scorned Jareth for so long. And I couldn't believe myself. Why did I ever imagine that I was grand enough and fair enough for Jareth to love me? Who did I think I was? Biting back inevitable tears, I tore my mask from my face and threw it to the ground, then barreled into the iridescent wall of the ballroom. It shattered like thin glass. Without a backward glance I threw myself out of the ballroom and transformed

I flew over the forest, towards the labyrinth. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I was never coming back. As I flew, I swore by my status as a gypsy, the only thing I had to my name, that I would live for the rest of my life as a falcon, never to love again. My dreams were shattered with the ballroom's wall. How could I have been so vain? I was through with being a gypsy, through with sneaking around and through with love. In my rage and sorrow, I didn't notice the wind picking up, and the ominous black clouds that hid the moon.

Rain began to fall over the Labyrinth, and thunder rolled overhead. I fought to stay aloft despite my wet feathers, but the wind was blowing me off course. The rain grew heavier, and the wild winds threw me this way and that. I wasn't afraid for my life; I didn't care. I wanted to fight the storm. With all my might I flew into the wind, my wings beating as quickly as my heart. Finally I could fight no longer, and I spiraled to the ground, having given up completely. The last thing that I saw before I lost consciousness was the slight shadow of a white owl, gliding expertly through the raging storm….


	4. Chapter 4

At first, everything was black. My arms and legs felt as heavy as lead, but I was very, very warm. I could hear the muffled sound of a fire crackling somewhere. Slowly I began to see shapes around me, which grew clearer until I saw a table, a comfortable-looking chair, and an enormous fireplace. I lay in a handsome mahogany bed with forest-green curtains, quilt and pillows.

I looked down at myself and panicked; I was no longer a falcon, but an elf once again. My mind ached with questions; where was I? How had I gotten here?

As I pondered these questions, the double-door swung open, and a funny-looking little goblin shuffled in pushing a trolley. "Care for some tea, dearie?" she said. I cautiously eyed the tea-tray perched upon the trolley. "No, thank you," I said, desperately searching my mind for any memory of what had happened after I had fallen from the skies.

"I'll just leave it 'ere, then", said the goblin, and then she left.

Light streamed in from behind a pair of green velvet curtains. I rose blearily from the bed and pushed them aside to reveal two enormous gothic windows. Perhaps it was little more than the effects of the night before, but a truly strange feeling engulfed me what I saw what was outside the window. The labyrinth stretched out before me as far as the eye could see, and far below me I could see the crooked little houses which formed the goblin city. Beside me was a tower with a window much like my own. It then occurred to me that I was inside the castle.

I started towards the door, but stopped just as quickly when I remembered that I was dressed in nothing but a nightgown. I searched the room for a closet, hoping that whoever this room belonged to wouldn't mind if I borrowed something. Despite this, I couldn't help marveling at the taste of the room's owner; everything was as if I had designed it myself.

The closet was impressive. It was almost another room in itself. The walls were lined with beautiful clothes, including gowns in every style and colour, and with some relief I guessed that it couldn't be Jareth's room that I had ended up in. I felt a slight twinge of envy as I wondered who else might be living in the castle. I selected a beige silk medieval-style gown, got dressed and ventured out into the hallway.

At every corner, I could see two or three goblin guards slumped against the wall, snoring loudly. I jumped in surprise as one of them murmured a few unintelligible words, but was relieved when he rolled over and began to snore again. They carried their hideous weapons but instead of armor, they wore ill-fitting, colourful finery. I turned back to return to my chamber, but when I turned around I was in an empty hallway. It occurred to me that I had not paid any attention to which way I had gone, and now I was completely lost. The hallway was dimly-lit, and no goblins guarded it. It stretched straight ahead until it disappeared into darkness.

Suddenly overcome by curiosity, I began to walk down the corridor. Extinguished torches lined the walls so that the only light came from the occasional window. In the dim, bluish light I could see ancient-looking tapestries on the walls. Cobwebs stretched themselves across the windows. I stopped to look outside, when I saw it; sitting on the windowsill outside was the mask which I had left, in my haste, after the ball the previous year.

Before I had a chance to think about my situation, something rolled over my bare foot. Looking down, I saw a small crystal ball rolling across the floor. Hoping it would lead me out of the corridor, I followed it to a stone archway covered by a tapestry. Standing in the shadows beside the doorway, was Jareth.

He stooped gracefully to retrieve his crystal, and then looked at me.

"Hello, Evangeline," he said softly an amused smile adorning his lips. He stepped out of the shadows and twirled the crystal around in his hands.

"I can see you've found your way across the castle," he took several steps towards me.

"Impressive." His voice was barely a whisper now. It was giving me goose bumps on the back of my neck.

"I….I got lost…" I murmured. It was hard to focus when he was standing so close to me. With a flamboyant wave of his hand, he tossed the crystal into the air. It burst into a fountain of glitter.

In an instant we were standing in front of my chamber door.

"Welcome to my castle, Evangeline," he said. "I won't confine you to your room…but I advise you don't go wandering too far. You wouldn't want to get lost again, would you?" He smiled, and leaned in closer to me again. I tried to think of something to say or do, but my mind was a blur. He smelled of sandalwood. "Until next time, Evangeline,' he said quietly, his face close to mine. An odd, floating sensation had begun in the pit of my stomach…

Jareth stepped back to take my hand and press it to his lips. Then, he took another crystal and vanished in a swirl of glitter, leaving me standing dumbly outside my room, trying to re-gather my thoughts. One thing was for sure; Jareth knew I was there. He also didn't seem to want me snooping around in his castle. I remembered the great shadow which I had seen so long ago. Was there something Jareth didn't want me to know about? Or was he trying to protect me from something? I walked into the room and sat on my bed, my head still spinning from the encounter, and took a sip of the tea that was still sitting on the trolley. I was still aching from my flight through the storm, and starting to feel irresistibly drowsy. I lay back on the sumptuous pillows and slipped into a fitful sleep.

I awoke with a start to the sound of my door opening. I peeked between the forest-green curtains to see a goblin in a maid's uniform bustling around the room dusting random objects with a big feather duster. All the while she was muttering to herself about different rooms and corridors and how nobody bothered to dust them. It then occurred to me that this goblin might know the passages of the castle.

"…..excuse me?" at the sound of my voice the goblin stopped dusting the windowsill and looked at me. I paused to remember which direction the window in the shadowy corridor was facing.

"Might you by any chance know what's in the far west corridor?" she hesitated, and quickly said,

"You're daft….we don't have a far west corridor…and even if we did, we wouldn't have anything in it…" with that she turned and hastily left the room.

I tried to think of where else I might have been when I had lost the mask, but after years of flying, my sense of direction couldn't be fooled. The goblin was hiding something. As quietly as I could, I slipped out of the room after her. I was just in time to see her disappear around another corner, but I quickly followed her on her path through the castle.

After a long and complicated walk through the castle's many halls and passageways, I finally lost track of her. We had entered a circular room with stone walls, lined with more doors than I could count. She went through one of them, but they were all identical to me. Choosing the door I thought she took, I wandered through.

On the other side of the door was an immense circular room. The stone floor was covered with small piled of dead leaves and moss. Tarnished silver tables had been pushed aside, and cold, clear morning light streamed in through tattered walls of pale-green cloth. A stone fountain babbled and gurgled in the centre of the room, and tall, tree-shaped columns were scattered throughout the room, shedding their once-green leaves. Suddenly I knew where I was.

The ballroom, once so majestically beautiful, had been badly neglected since the masquerade. Suddenly I felt weak, bombarded by memories of the ball, and sat down against on of the columns. I was trembling, and my reason for running away in the first place came crashing back to me. Sarah. Jareth. For all I knew she could be right here, in the castle. Abandoning my pride, I buried my face in my hands and wept.

I heard the door open, and a familiar voice say, "is anybody here?" Jareth was standing in the doorway, looking over the piles of dead leaves and discarded furniture. I quickly turned away to hide my tears, and in doing so I managed to rustle a nearby pile of leaves.

"Evangeline?" said Jareth. It was pointless to try hiding; he had found me. Anything more would seem childish. He knelt beside me.

"Evangeline, where were you? I've been looking all over the castle…"

"Why?" I said bitterly.

"Well, to make sure you were safe, and…"

"And?"

"Well, I was hoping you might accompany me to lunch in the gardens…"

I turned to glare at him. This was too much, even from Jareth. "Why don't you ask Sarah? I'm sure she'd be happy to dine with you," I spat.

"Sarah? After returning my letters unopened, and avoiding my masquerades, I doubt she'd even agree to speak to me!" he replied.

"So that's why I'm here, isn't it! Because Sarah won't cooperate? Well in case you haven't noticed, I don't think you'll be needing my help!" I shot back, and then got up to leave, but Jareth held my arm. "Evangeline! Wait!"

The frustration in his eyes faded as quickly as it had appeared. "There's been a misunderstanding," he said softly, his eyes pleading with mine. "I never meant for this to…"

But he was interrupted by a loud scraping sound, as one of the silver tables was pushed aside. He looked up in alarm as a great, shadowy creature lumbered into the room.

"What is that?" I asked cautiously.

"A mistake," muttered Jareth, taking a step toward the beast.

"Jareth…" I cried, as the creature tore down a cloth wall.

"Run, Evangeline!" he said.

"But…"

"I'll meet you later! GO!" I took a step backward, then turned and ran as the creature sent an enormous tarnished chandelier crashing to the floor. The moment I stepped through the door it vanished behind me, leaving me standing in the wild woods where I was raised…


	5. Chapter 5

Ch5

I felt a tug on my dress, and looked down to see a small boy with wide blue eyes and white-blond hair looking up at me. He wore clothes from aboveground. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder and delight. "You have pointy ears! Are you a goblin?" I was about to reply, when I heard another voice. It was a girl's voice. "Toby? Toby! There you are!" I watched in amazement as a wonderfully familiar young woman emerged from the trees. It was Sarah, looking much happier than I'd seen her in a long time. Her dress was slightly torn, and there were twigs and thorns caught in her hair, but she was smiling, and her eyes sparkled with joy. "Sarah….?" I asked cautiously, as she scooped the little boy up into her arms and spun him around. She turned to look at me. "Evangeline!" she cried, putting the boy back on the ground and rushing up to me. "Where were you? You disappeared!" she said, then called into the forest, "Hey! Evangeline's back!"

Cyprian strode out of the woods, looking as windblown as Sarah. He ran to me and threw his arms around me, laughing. Then, he went to Sarah, swept her into his arms and kissed her. I stared in disbelief, wondering how long I had been gone for. The three of them, Sarah, Cyprian and Toby, looked like they had just returned from a wild run through the dense forest. Cyprian had changed from the silly, self-centered boy he had once been; now he seemed only interested in Sarah. I looked from one to the other, searching for something to say.

"Sarah?...Cyprian? Have I missed something?" I asked. Sarah turned and grinned at me. "Oh, lots!" she said. "This is my little brother, Toby!" she gestured to the blonde boy, who waved enthusiastically. "I think he likes you!" said Cyprian, as Toby raced over and clung to me. "After you left, I started to really miss him, so Cyprian helped me find him aboveground, and bring him here for a visit! We sort of bonded after that…" said Sarah. "Everyone's missed you," said Cyprian, "even Maria was wondering where you had gone!" It occurred to me that I had missed Cyprian and Sarah too, and Anastasia and the rest of the caravan. "Say you're coming home, Eva!" he said. My heart ached with a mixture of joy and fear; I wanted badly to come home, but part of me couldn't forget Jareth and the look of panic on his face before he sent me back. Finally I sighed and said, "I'm coming home. I'm not sure how long I can stay, but I'm coming home."

Weeks passed, and I received no news of Jareth. I did my best to live life in the caravan as I always had, and not to worry about what was happening at the castle. I gathered herbs with Anastasia, and listened to her stories. To Claudius's great delight, I hunted with him and Cyprian. I helped Sarah to look after Toby. I even spoke to Maria and her friends. I was happy to be back in the forest, where everything was familiar and certain.

One evening, as the sun was setting, Sarah, Cyprian and Claudius found me sitting alone, watching the sunset. "Evangeline! These two and I are going for a walk by the river! Would you care to join us?" asked Claudius, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. I agreed to go with them; I had little else to do, and I supposed that a walk in the woods would surely do me good. I looked back at Toby, sleeping peacefully on a blanket outside Sarah's wagon, then followed my three friends into the woods.

It was a long and beautiful path to the river, and the trees cast long shadows in the light of the setting sun. I could smell flowers and earth and fir trees. Finally we reached a place where black rocks rose from the earth, then formed a small cliff at the edge of the river. Sarah and Cyprian sat down between two trees. The sun was barely a sliver of gold on the horizon now, as I sat and let my feet skim the cool water. I still wondered when I would hear from Jareth, but for now, everything was peaceful.

I looked over to where Sarah and Cyprian were. Cyprian had his arm around Sarah, who was leaning her head on his shoulder. I still couldn't get used to seeing them like this. It was then that I became aware of a hand resting on my own.

I turned to see Claudius sitting beside me, staring up at the stars. I hadn't even noticed him sit down. I jumped a little, startled. Claudius turned to look at me. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" he said. I nodded, suddenly beginning to feel cold. I shivered as I looked over at Cyprian, with his arms around Sarah. "Is something the matter?" asked Claudius. "No…..I'm just not used to seeing my brother and Sarah…you know…together," I said quietly. "They're in love," murmured Claudius, and I wondered if he had moved closer, or if it was just my imagination. He stretched, and suddenly his arm was resting around my shoulders. I looked at him, but didn't know what to say. All I could think of was Jareth. I had tried to put him from my mind, but in truth ever since I had left the castle, he seemed to me to be around every corner when I was hunting, and silhouetted in the curling smoke of the bonfires. On windy nights I thought I heard his voice. As Claudius put his arm around me, my mind wandered back to dancing with Jareth at the masquerade. I moved closer to Cyprian, sheltering myself from the cold, and he draped his arms around me. "Evangeline, there's something I want to tell you. I…well, I… I like you. I really like you…..in fact, I…." he said, faltering and searching for the right words. I sighed and nodded, although I was only half listening. The soft, haunting melody from the ball echoed in my head. My thoughts were still on Jareth; his eyes, his voice, his lips brushing against mine…

My heart sank as I realized what I was doing. I pulled away from Claudius moments before our lips would have met. My heart was pounding painfully as I leapt shakily to my feet. "Evangeline, I love you!" Claudius called after me, but I was already dodging through the trees, following the river and trying to get as far away as I could. My breathing came fast and harsh. I didn't love Claudius. I couldn't. I loved Jareth. And yet, I had let Claudius believe that I loved him in return, and I had almost kissed him!

Thorns tore at my ankles and feet, and branches caught in my hair as I ran deeper into the dense forest. Still desperate to go farther, I fell to the ground and cried out the spell that still lingered in my memory from long ago.

A falcon once more, I flew over the forest, following the river as closely as I could. I was going back to the castle, although I feared terribly what I might find when I arrived. Light rain had begun to fall. I scanned the ground below me, making sure I was still over the river, when I saw somebody standing on the sandy riverbank below. My heart nearly skipped a beat; it was Jareth.

I swooped towards the shore as fast as my wings would carry me. When Jareth saw me he held out his arm, thinking me to be his hunting falcon, but I didn't go to him; instead I landed on the rocks flanking the beach, and did what I had longed to do ever since I had first hunted with him. I transformed before his eyes. I smiled at the astonishment on his face as his hunting falcon transformed into a young elven woman. "Jareth!" I cried, dashing across the beach and throwing my arms around him. "Evangeline…." He murmured, returning my embrace. His white shirt and black leather vest were torn and dusty, and his voice sounded weary, but my heart swelled with joy and relief as I rested my head upon his shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

"What happened? Why did you send me away?" I asked when I finally found the breath to speak. Jareth took my hand, and we began to walk along the beach. "It wasn't safe in the castle," he said quietly. "Had you stayed, you might have died! I…I couldn't let you come to harm." "That….that _thing_…what was it?" I said, my voice barely a whisper as I remembered the terrifying, shadowy beast. Jareth sighed. "That, I'm afraid, was Elrohir, a creature who I should never have let into my castle. I had brought it out of the mountains to guard the castle, but instead it destroyed everything in its path." Jareth seemed to sense the terror in my eyes, for he said, "I have managed to send it back to the mountain, where it belongs."

I looked down at the sand, dreading the answers to the questions that I was about to ask. I reluctantly pulled my hand from his, and forced myself to look at him. "What of Sarah? When are you to be….." I faltered. My throat felt as though it was being squeezed. "Yes?" said Jareth, turning to look at me. I closed my eyes and forced the words from my throat. "When are you to be wed?" I asked, my voice sounding much more strangled than I had intended. Jareth gave me a questioning glance. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously. "I…I heard the ladies talking…at the masquerade…they said you had proposed…and she….she…" I was sobbing. Jareth gently placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled me into his arms. "No…. no, there must have been some mistake…" he said. "Sarah hates me, she always has. I…I don't love her anymore."

These words came to me like a clap of thunder. For the first time, Jareth seemed unsure of himself. The rain was falling harder now. Slowly I raised my hand and brushed a strand of dripping blonde hair from his face. I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when Jareth pulled off one of his black leather gloves and gently stroked my cheek. I closed my eyes as he pulled me closer to him, until I could feel his breath tickling my face, and all other thoughts melted from my mind as his lips softly touched mine.

Rain was pouring down on us, running in small rivers through my hair and over my face, but I hardly noticed as Jareth kissed me again and again. I fell against him, and my hands moved from behind his neck, over his strong shoulders and down to his chest. I grabbed his shirt and pulled myself closer to him, when he suddenly cried out and collapsed to the ground, his face twisted in pain. I knelt beside him, and he winced as I gently moved his hands, which were tightly clasped over his chest. I carefully unbuttoned his tight vest, and saw with horror that his shirt underneath was reddened with blood. His battle with Elrohir had not left him unharmed.

Suddenly I remembered something that Anastasia had told me long ago. A serious wound to the chest could be fatal. The thought of Jareth dying was almost too much for me to bear, but then I remembered the rest of what Anastasia had told me. There was a flower that grew in the woodland clearings downriver, with healing properties so powerful that they could bring somebody back from death's door, with the help of an ancient gypsy spell. Jareth now lay motionless in the wet sand, unconscious. I had no time to waste. As carefully as I could, I slid my hands under him, and lifted him with some difficulty. I was thankful that he was so light, as I carried him along the riverbank. I tried desperately to remember what the flower looked like. Anastasia had described it as small and white, but it had been years since I had seen it. Jareth's breathing was becoming more strained as I made my way through the trees in search of a clearing.

Finally, when I thought I could carry him no further, I stumbled into a clearing. Moonlight shone in through a small gap in the trees, and wildflowers grew up to my waist. Relief flooded over me as I realized that they were small and white.

I gently lay Jareth down among the flowers, and thought back to what Anastasia had told me about them. Her voice seemed to echo in my mind; "you must lay the leaves over the wound…." Carefully I unbuttoned his reddened silk shirt, slid it over his shoulders and threw it aside, then plucked as many leaves as I could hold from the surrounding plants. I lay them over the wound on his chest. He shifted slightly as the leaves touched him, but soon lay as still as before.

"You must place the petals all around the leaves…" I grabbed a handful of the delicate, white blossoms and drew a circle around my bandage of leaves. I only prayed that I wasn't too late.

I gently lifted his head and rested it on my lap. The rain was beginning to clear up now, and every now and again, a star could be seen between the clouds. If the spell worked, he would be well by sunrise. Or so Anastasia had told me. Still, I was anxious. Every minute felt like an eternity as I sat there, looking down at him, willing him to open his eyes.

Suddenly I heard soft footsteps coming from somewhere behind the tall, thick carpet of wildflowers. I went rigid, every hair on my scalp prickling as the sound grew closer. The undergrowth before me parted, and a fox wandered up to Jareth, sniffing cautiously. I waved my hand, in an attempt to shoo the fox away, but it didn't seem to notice. "Go away!" I cried. The fox looked at me, alarmed, and ran back into the woods. I looked back at Jareth. He was still motionless. Even his breathing was worryingly slow. _It's not too late, there's still an hour before dawn,_ I thought to myself, but even that wasn't as reassuring as I had hoped. I loved him. I couldn't let him die.

The hour before dawn was the longest hour I had ever known. The spell was supposed to heal, but it seemed to me that his condition had worsened as the night wore on. The stars were already beginning to fade. I held my breath as the first light of dawn touched the sky, and waited for him to move, to speak, to give me some sign that he was still living.

Nothing.

His breathing had grown so faint, I was scarcely sure that I could hear it. I struggled to think whether I had forgotten part of the spell. Place the leaves over the wound, I had done that. Lay the petals around the leaves, I had done that too. But there had been something else; something that Anastasia had said was the most important part of the spell. I tried to remember it, but with each attempt the answer seemed to slip farther from my memory. I had forgotten.

It wrenched my heart to look upon Jareth, so pale and beautiful in the cold early-morning sunlight. I stroked his hair and brushed it out of his face. Slowly I leaned over and gently kissed him, wishing that it wouldn't be the last time. His lips were still warm. Tears stung in my eyes and fell onto his face and neck. Some glistened on the wreath of white blossoms that were meant to save him. "No...no……" I whispered through my tears. "Jareth, I need you….don't leave me….please, don't leave me…." My voice caught in my throat, and I wept.

"E…Evangeline….." I forced my eyes open at the sound of his voice, wondering if I had gone mad. Jareth's eyes were still closed, but I could hear his breathing again.

"Evangeline, why on earth would I ever leave you?" He said, as he rose slowly to his knees. The leaves and blossoms fell away, and I noticed that his wound had vanished, leaving not even the slightest scar. Suddenly the words of Anastasia came back to me; "finally, you must prove to the spirits what the wounded one means to you…" The final part of the spell was fulfilled. "I love you," I whispered as I embraced him, and at that moment my heart soared higher that wings could ever take me.


End file.
